With the economy stuck in the doldrums and incomes stagnating, there are concerns that adequate housing may become more difficult to afford. The result, many worry, is more overcrowding.

The numbers of "overcrowded" households rising with more than 650,000 homes registered as too cramped by the government last year. The problem is especially acute in London, with a quarter of children living in too small a home.

Overcrowding does affect people's health and life chances. Rates of respiratory disease, tuberculosis and meningitis are higher in overcrowded households. Academics say studies show it negatively impacts children's education, family relationships, and physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

The Guardian analysed the most complete public database of the government's own housing survey - which samples 17,000 homes in 2010 - to determine who is most likely to be overcrowded. The results are stark: the lower a family's social status, the more likely it is to be overcrowded. Lone parents have the worst levels of overcrowding and black and Asian households suffer cramped conditions more than white households.

Overcrowding using data from the English Housing Survey. More detailed data on overcrowding availalble to download
below.

Despite this there's little data on spread or extent of "Shrunken Households" in recession-hit Britain. That's why we'd like your help to map overcrowding. Using the government's "bedroom standard" we can work out whether people are living in overcrowded housing. Please enter the first part of your post code - eg N1 9GU is just N1 - and answer the questions below.

Our team will check the data to prevent it being hijacked and we will map the responses in the days ahead.